Japan Sets Record FY 2026 Defense Budget, Eyeing China, N. Korea

Tokyo, Dec. 26 (Jiji Press)–In response to continuing military buildups by China and North Korea, the Japanese government has set defense-related spending at a record 9,035.3 billion yen under its draft fiscal 2026 budget adopted at Friday’s cabinet meeting. The figure, including outlays related to the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan, is up 3.8 pct from the fiscal 2025 initial budget and marks a record high for the 12th consecutive year. The total also includes expenses to set up the Shield multilayered coastal defense system and improve working conditions for Self-Defense Forces personnel. Under the Shield system, numerous drones and other devices will be mobilized to fend off coastal invasions. The country plans to spend 100.1 billion yen to acquire several thousand drones of 10 types, in hopes to establish the coastal defense system by the end of fiscal 2027. The government will also explore the possibility of using drones for scrambles by the Air SDF. It will conduct test flights for the MQ-9B SeaGuardian, a U.S.-made long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle, at a cost of 1.1 billion yen to assess its surveillance and tracking capabilities, apparently having China’s unmanned aircraft in mind. Funds to improve working conditions for SDF personnel will be increased by 42 pct to 581.4 billion yen. Specifically, aging barracks will be renovated, including turning sleeping quarters into private bedrooms. Allowances for lengthy training will be newly established. The government will continue efforts to strengthen the standoff defense capabilities to attack adversaries from outside their firing range, securing 30.1 billion yen to purchase hypersonic guided missiles, which travel at five times the speed of sound and are difficult to intercept. Additionally, 160.2 billion yen is set to be used for the development of a next-generation fighter jet in a joint project with Britain and Italy, while 4.8 billion yen will be used for research and development of unmanned aircraft utilizing artificial intelligence. The ASDF will be renamed the “Air and Space Self-Defense Force.” The revamped organization will feature a new space operations unit consisting of about 880 members. The Defense Ministry will have two state ministers, up from one at present, in order to boost its emergency response capabilities. The government has set the total defense spending for the five years from fiscal 2023 at about 43 trillion yen. Defense-related spending for fiscal 2025, including a supplementary budget, came to approximately 11 trillion yen, meaning that the government achieved its goal of raising the proportion of defense spending to gross domestic product to 2 pct two years earlier than planned. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]